Why?
by Moronic Mongoose
Summary: In just one night, the lives of the members of team RWBY were changed forever.
1. Chapter 1

_Why?_

That three letter word pervaded Weiss' brain. It rose above the fear. Above the mind-numbing fatigue. Above the ache of being rooted to the same seat for hours now. It rose above the toil and muck of her clouded mind to visit and plague her with cheerless musing.

Yang and Blake had both fallen asleep with Yang still clasping Blake's hand. Yang's elaborate makeup that she fretted over hours ago was flaking and her tears left unsightly smudges on her cheeks. Despite this the characteristically hair-conscious blond hasn't bothered fixing it. Blake didn't look much better, her normally silky raven hair now frayed in multiple place. A look of anxiety etched into her face even whilst asleep.

For a fleeting moment Weiss vainly fretted over her own appearance. Vacantly, Weiss eyed the room for the umpteenth time. She had grown to loathe the waiting room and its sterile environment. She hated the tacky plastic chairs that were uncomfortable from any position she tried sitting in. She hated the gaudy safety and health posters plastered on the walls. She hated the artificial smell of disinfectant clung to the quiet room.

The only sound that pierced the stifling silence was the occasional sound of a nurse or doctor bursting through the doors and hustling to another part of the hospital. Every time she heard the sound of a door open Weiss could feel her stomach tighten as she braced herself for the news. Despite her worrying the door situated directly in front of the team's seats has yet to open again.

_Why_?

Weiss needed out.

The atmosphere was unbearable. It was choking her, drowning her in a toxic concoction of stifling inactivity and torturous anticipation. She rose and walked out of the room onto the veranda of the hospital. Gazing out into the distance as she watched the first rays of sunlight beginning to pierce the grey shroud of the horizon.

_How did this happen? _Weiss once again asked herself, hoping in vain that this time she could find a satisfactory answer. Why would anyone shoot a fifteen year old girl? Due to Weiss' status she was able to access the initial police reports on the incident. The man was reported to have high concentration of drugs in his blood. He was a police officer of sorts which in itself was bitterly ironic but it explained why he was in the possession of aura penetrating bullets. However the question still remained.

_Why?_

*Eight Hours Earlier*

Ruby's birthday was in a couple of days and for her present, Weiss decided to buy front row tickets for a concert performed by Ruby's favorite singer: Casey Lee Williams. Although she never admitted it, the amount of shock proceeded by glee that was invoked by informing Ruby of the present had already made it worth the money for Weiss.

The concert started at eight and Weiss being Weiss, made sure that they were at the concert on time. So there they were: a couple of blocks from the ticket booth and still thirty minutes to kill.

"Guys look!" Yang exclaimed in glee as she pointed towards a particular clothing shop they were passing. Her finger pointing to a particularly provocative piece of attire that was on display on a mannequin.

"That pair of underwear and bra matches the color of Pyrrha's hair _exactly_. We should _so _get it for her birthday. Not even Jaune could ignore her in that!"

The statement elicited a few smiles and chuckles from the other team members.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's check it out!"

Grabbing Ruby's and Blake's hand Yang dragged them towards the shop. The realization that her sister was serious sparked panic in Ruby.

"Wait! I don't want to go into a lingerie shop!" Ruby blurted whilst attempting to pull herself away from Yang's grip.

"Come on Ruby! We're just taking a look." coaxed Yang.

Ruby didn't look convinced.

"I'll even allow you to pick one" Yang coyly added with a playful wink.

"Nope!" Ruby squeaked. She desperately searched for excuses, her eyes darted to different shops until they landed on the perfect one: a bakery.

"Actually, I'm a tad hungry so maybe I'll buy a couple of cookies first." She smiled sheepishly to her sister.

"Come on Ruby!" Yang growled.

"But Yang…cookies" Ruby pleaded with her puppy eyes. That face could never be denied.

"You might as well let her Yang, we don't want her bugging us that she's hungry halfway through the concert" Blake dryly added.

"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed indignantly.

"Fine all right…" Yang conceded. She then turned to the other two girls expectedly.

"I'll wait for her outside." Weiss decided. Not too keen on visiting a lingerie shop either, even if it was just for fun.

"Sorry Blake." Weiss added with an apologetic smile. Blake just rolled her eyes good naturedly as she was pulled into the shop by the blonde. When Weiss turned back, Ruby was already several meters down the road on her quest for ordering cookies.

A couple of minutes later she exited with a white paper bag which evidently contained her beloved confectionary. Already starting on her second cookie as she strolled down the street to Weiss. Weiss smiled as she watched Ruby wolf down the baked treat with ravenous vigor.

That's when Weiss saw him.

A man, probably in mid 20s came staggering out of the door of an apartment block not several meters away from Weiss and started walking in Ruby's direction. Something didn't look right. He looked jittery, his head darted from side to side with one of his hands awkwardly tucked into his jacket.

Weiss' smile faded. She felt uneasy. However, her unease although instinctive, was unfounded. As such she just stood there in uncomfortable silence.

After a few moments, Ruby and the man crossed paths. The man stopped and turned back to Ruby. Ruby, oblivious to anything but her cookie, continued walking towards Weiss. Suddenly he whipped his left hand out of his pocket, aiming straight at Ruby's back with murderous intent in his eyes.

"Bitch!" he screamed at the top of his voice while firing.

There are no words that could convey what Weiss felt when she saw Ruby jerk as the bullet tore through her clothes and ripped into her flesh. Even though Ruby was still a few meters away, Weiss could still see her face with vivid clarity. Ruby's eyes widened in surprise and her mouth began to move as if to say something. Instead, Ruby collapsed.

The man tried to fire again but by then Weiss had Myrtnester out and using her glyphs was next to him in an instant; easily disarming him whilst knocking him unconscious.

Her heart froze when she turned back and saw Ruby still on the floor. The few pedestrians on the street had all froze. Staring wide eyed and gaping in shock.

"What the fuck are you doing!? Call an ambulance!" Weiss screamed at the dumb struck passersby.

She then turned her attention to her fallen friend and knelt down to Ruby. Ruby's mouth was parted and she was breathing in short labored gasps. Blood already beginning to trickle out of her mouth.

"Weiss it hurts" She whispered feebly, her voice laced with pain.

Weiss heard the tremble in her voice as she tried to speak. "Shh, don't worry Ruby, you'll be fine. Try not to move."

The blood was beginning to pool on the floor. To Weiss' horror, every moment that passed the pool grew larger.

"I think I'm dying Weiss."

Ruby's voice sounded fainter than before. Ruby's eyes that characteristically shimmered with mischief and playfulness were now replaced with fear and pain.

"Ruby…" Weiss could hear her voice breaking.

Being unable to help Ruby and seeing her lie there was leagues beyond any physical pain Weiss had ever endured. Tears were welling in Weiss' eyes. She wanted to say something. A retort, a comforting comment, anything. But the characteristically verbose heiress was at a loss of words.

"I love you Weiss. I love all of you. I couldn't have asked for a better team. Tell them will you." Ruby's voice barely a whisper.

Weiss finally found her voice.

"You are not going to die you dunce. You can't go. After all we've been through as partners and as a team. You're my best friend and I-_We_ love you. You're going to make it." Weiss blurted out.

A ghost of a smile graced Ruby's lips. Weiss clasped Ruby's hand with one of her own whilst her other went to gently stroking her face. Weiss couldn't remember when Blake and Yang came rushing out of the store, there just seemed to be a point when she vaguely acknowledged their presence.

Those ten minutes before the ambulance arrived was a torturous eternity for all of them. Each second limped past and they could feel Ruby's aura ebb away. It felt like fate was cruelly mocking the team. These huntresses that have battled world class criminals and hordes of Grimm were reduced to helplessly standing by and waiting.

**Hey Guys! This is the first chapter of a three part story. The next chapter is currently being edited and will be released within a week. Hope you enjoyed the story so far! **


	2. Chapter 2

Weiss heard the sound of the balcony door being opened.

She turned around to meet Blake's amber eyes staring back at her.

Silently, they stared out at the view. The sun had almost fully risen above the horizon, dancing golden rays of light spilled onto the roofs of buildings and houses around the hospital.

Blake's voice broke the silence.

"It was a morning like this when I was told that my parents were killed."

For the second time in twenty four hours Weiss was at a loss of words.

"They said that they would be back in time to tuck me into bed. I remember looking out of my bedroom window the entire night. I kept praying and hoping for the familiar sound of my parent's car driving up the driveway. Eventually, night turned to morning and instead a police car took me to the station where my uncle would fetch me and tell me that my parents were murdered by a group of anti-faunas extremists."

Blake closed her eyes and paused a moment to compose herself before continuing.

"Weiss, I know you know that the world isn't a fairytale and there's a possibility that Ruby won't-"

"How dare you!" Weiss screeched- fear giving way to anger.

"How dare you suggest such a thing! Are you a doctor? We have the finest doctors in all four kingdoms operating on her right now! You may not care about Ruby-"

_Slap!_

Weiss realized she wasn't talking anymore and instead she was holding a hand to her now stinging cheek.

"You may be her partner and I understand that you are in a world of hurt. However that does _not_ justify you making such statements." Blake said in a low and steady voice.

Weiss knew she deserved the slap. She wasn't the only person worthy of being allowed to worry over Ruby. She had insulted one her closest friends because Blake had inferred a very real possibility that Weiss herself was too afraid to voice out herself. Weiss suddenly felt ashamed at herself.

"Blake I'm sor-"

Weiss' apology was cut off by a bone crushing hug by Blake that rivalled Yang's. Such a display of affection was uncharacteristic of Blake. After a brief moment of surprise, Weiss returned the hug. Before being placed in team RWBY Weiss would never have willfully hugged another human, let alone a faunas. They stood there in comfortable silence for a long time. When Blake withdrew, Weiss could see the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Weiss, you have to be strong. All I am saying is that if things don't go well, I need you to be strong because we need to be there to support one another, especially Yang."

Weiss responded by silently nodding, not trusting her voice. They returned to their seats. After a few more minutes the door leading to the operating theatres opened and a doctor walked out to meet them. Everyone in the room instantly stood up including team JNPR whom upon receiving the news an hour ago, rushed to the hospital.  
>The doctor appeared to be in his mid-40s with a kindly face but worn with a grim expression.<p>

"Are you Ruby's teammates?" the doctor asked.

"Yes." Blake replied.

"Is my sister okay?" Yang asked. The desperation and fear was evident from her voice.

"Please madam, have a seat."

"She's okay right?" Yang asked, begging for the affirmation from the doctor.

The doctor took a moment before answering.

"I'm sorry…she didn't make it"

At that moment all Weiss wants to do was to be alone. She wants to curl up into a ball and make herself as small as possible. She wants the ground to cave in and swallow her up. To bury her as deep and far away from this hospital and this nightmare of a reality. However, she was a Schnee and she remembered what Blake said earlier. She must be strong for Ruby and her team.

Weiss looked at her friends. Her heart sank when she glanced at Yang. Weiss had never seen Yang's face so blank and emotionless before. She was always feeling something, happiness, anger in battle and grief and gear in the waiting room. Never simply nothing.

"May we see the body?" Weiss stiffly inquired. Her voice sounding small and distant.

He glanced at the faces of the grieving huntsmen and huntresses. His face looked conflicted. Long moments passed before he spoke again.  
>"Well…it's against regulations, however I suppose it should be alright. You can see the body but you aren't allowed into the operating theatre as police have ruled this as a homicide."<p>

Weiss' whole body felt numb and her movements were uncoordinated and clumsy. However, she wasn't crying. Less than twelve hours ago, the scenario of losing Ruby was the furthest from anyone's minds with regards to the concert, yet now it's their reality. A reality that Weiss had yet to truly thrust herself in. It's simply impossible to accept that Weiss would never be able to speak to her first and best friend again. Less than twelve hours ago she was arguing with Ruby over the idea that Ruby should wear something that Weiss deemed acceptable to the concert.

They reached the spectating room for the operating theatre.

Inside the operating theatre was a sheet with the outline of a body. The doctor entered the room and pulled down the cover to reveal Ruby's face.

The breath left Weiss' body and the room was suddenly icy cold. Weiss didn't hear Pyrrha's gasp nor the pained cry that was uttered by Yang.

To her horror, Weiss couldn't stand the sight of seeing her friend lying there yet at the same time she couldn't look away.

Ruby's eyes were closed and her face expressionless. Weiss could almost trick herself into believing that Ruby was sleeping. However, Weiss had never seen Ruby so still before. Even when sleeping Ruby would often murmur and toss and turn. No, this was a mere shell- a husk of the girl that once was.

Suddenly, Yang started moving towards the door to the operating table however Weiss and Blake both moved to stop her.

"Get off me!" Yang roared, some of her usual fieriness briefly returned to her and her eyes glowed a dangerous color. However, after a brief struggle she collapsed into the other two girl's arms.

"Let me touch her, please…she doesn't like to be alone." Yang's voice was feeble and pleading. It was heartbreaking to listen to this strong willed girl sounding so broken.

"Please! Please please please please…" Her voice dissolved into a stream of 'pleases' and finally incomprehensible sobbing. Yang's body violently shuddered as her weeping renewed.

Weiss once again looked back at the operating table. She could still see the cookie crumbs on Ruby's lips.

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading this far. I'll try to get the last chapter up before Christmas :) **


	3. Epilogue

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading story till the end. In retrospect, perhaps it isn't the most suitable of stories to publish during the Christmas season…oops…Anyways I hope you enjoy this story's ending and if you can spare the time please comment or favorite, I would really appreciate it. **

Epilogue 

Soon after the burial everyone except for team RWBY had left. The courtyard that Ruby was buried in was a serene and beautiful corner of Beacon where students and professors were often laid to rest. At the center of the courtyard was an ancient oak tree that had been planted in the founding year of the Academy. The tree struggled to retain its remaining leaving during the season of autumn. A leaf fell off a branch and drifted to the feet of Weiss. The heiress examined it. The courtyard's leaves were a particularly beautiful color; deep blood orange that reflected the vitality of summer yet hinted of the coldness of the winter to come.

It was beautiful.

It was dead.

Ruby's death was not to be reported in the news and although Weiss was disgusted, she wasn't surprised. A police man killing a huntress-in-training would have been far too scandalous and would be the final blow to the already weakened status of Vale's police after the recent rash of dust robberies and breach of Grimm.

However, Professor Ozpin had managed to obtain the police report for the grieving huntresses, hoping to give some closure to the tragedy. The police officer who was to now serve life imprisonment had confessed that he was a frequent drug user who siphoned off drugs that were apprehended during police raids. His girlfriend broke up with him the night of the incident. Upon being given a picture of Ruby he broke down in tears. Looking at a picture of his ex-girlfriends, it was obvious why. Ruby bared remarkable semblance to his ex-girlfriend.

The report elicited more unease rather than closure for Weiss.

Facing overwhelming forces of legions of Grimm or sacrificing herself to save Remnant would be considered a befitting death for Ruby. How could she die like this? How can a soul with so much potential, a leader of one of the best teams in Remnant's most prestigious warrior academy meet such an ignominious end to a barrel of a drugged up low life?

It angered Weiss. Not only did it anger Weiss for the loss of her friend but towards all the victims of heedless crimes. Drunk driving, botched muggings, drunken beatings; these weren't acts of atrocities committed by Grimm, these were merely thoughtless actions committed by human beings. Thoughtless actions committed by individuals whose lapse in common sense and judgment meant that people at the wrong time and place have to suffer for a lifetime.

Weiss' mind was brought back to the present as Blake walked to the head of the grave. They didn't want to say their parting words in front of everyone else. It had to be done as a team for the last time.

Blake paused for a brief moment before beginning.

"Ruby, you were a bright light shining against the darkness of the world. From food fights to combat training, we have fought, laughed and triumphed as a team led by you. Your innocence that I previously mistook for naivety is what made you such an exceptional team leader. It was only after I had spent time being led by you that I have come to learn that naivety and innocence are not the same. To say that you were naive would be incorrect. You and I have faced more terrors in your sixteen years than anyone should in their whole life. No, you have the pureness and goodness of heart to realize that in fact that past the darkness there is a goodness in this world that is worth fighting for. As a friend and as my leader, I will ensure that your dream lives on. "

Blake turned to Weiss and nodded to her as a sign for Weiss to begin. Weiss walked up to the tombstone and took a deep breath before beginning.

"Meeting you…meeting you was the best thing to have ever happen in my life. I was so alone, so incredibly alone in this world before I moved to Beacon. You are the kindest, bravest and most lovable person I have ever met and even more blessed am I that I can call you my friend. You have changed me in so many ways. I knew the choice to move to Beacon would be a change from the rigid and cold path of a Schnee, however I did not know just how indelible an impact it would make. For that I cannot thank you enough. Now that you're gone, I feel like the warmth in this world has been taken."

Weiss choked and had to pause as memories came flooding back.

"I won't forget the night before last Christmas when I was sick and you and the team decided to spend Christmas with me instead of attending the party. It told me with unwavering certainty that I had three people that I could call friends. I am so grateful to have had the honor of fighting on your team and being able to call you my friend. Although you may not have changed the world like you always hoped, you have changed mine. Goodbye my friend, I will miss you…so, so much."

Weiss let the tears fall freely as she realized that Ruby was truly gone from her life. Buried in the ground. Weiss will never be able to hear her laughter nor pretend to be infuriated with Ruby's boundless enthusiasm. That girl, or what's left of her is now beginning to decay six feet underneath them.

Yang didn't say anything. Instead she merely rested her hand on the tombstone and closed her eyes. She remained like this for several long moments.

"Do you know why Ruby never said goodbye?" Yang suddenly asked.

"It's because of our mother…well, her mother I suppose. She always told us, "Never say goodbye. If you don't say goodbye you aren't really gone- you just aren't here right now.""

After a several minutes of silence, Yang eventually she stepped away and joined the other two girls at the foot of the grave.

Yang, Weiss and Blake wordlessly joined arms. They stood there for a long time as they held each other, interlocked in tight embrace. It gave them courage and support as they were reminded that they will face the uncertain future as they always did; as a team.

A light breeze picked up and gently passed through the courtyard. Eventually it reached the girls and lightly tugged on Weiss' clothes. As the breeze passed she caught a scent, it was so light that she almost missed it. She hadn't smelt it for what felt like years, yet she knew with certainty what it was.

It was the smell of roses.


End file.
